Thankful In All Circumstances

Thankful IN All Circumstances Friday, November 12,2021 Deborah Harris I write this as a testimonial to the goodness of God. Last year in the month of December I shared a vision the Lord had given me 36 years ago. I am going to repost that vision here as it is more my reality today than ever. The scene opens and I am standing in a bank of fog on a what appeared to be a stage. I am standing face to face with Jesus. We are embraced as a couple on a dance floor. I am unaware of anything beyond the depth of love, tenderness, strength, and steadfastness imparted as I gaze into his eyes. We begin to dance. He is the perfect partner. I never had to wonder where to place my foot or how to follow his lead. I was completely at rest in his arms. As we danced, the fog began to lift and I became aware that we were dancing through valleys, over mountain tops, through beautiful meadows, and along gently flowing streams. Regardless of the terrain, be it tranquil or challenging, I never had a misstep, the path we took was inconsequential. I was too lost in the love of my partner to take notice. As we continued to dance I felt the Lord speak to my heart that this was a picture of my life. There would be times when I would be in lush, peaceful pastures, and times when I would be in some harsh, challenging mountains. Regardless of my circumstances, I could be assured that as long as I kept my eyes fixed on him I would dance through life in peace and rest. I have had some challenging seasons along this journey called life. At times I have let my focus drift to my circumstances, only to be robbed of peace and driven to “do” something. I lost rest because I started to strive. Then the gracious hand of the Lord would reach out to me and engage me in his love dance. The kindness of the Lord would lead me to repentance followed by the assurance that he was The Way in and through all my circumstances. I just needed to Behold the Lamb. This year my circumstances have changed dramatically but my dance partner has not. I am dancing on a new pathway, but I am overwhelmed with thanksgiving and wonder at the goodness of God. Last year I shared that my husband had been battling prostate cancer for five years. It is with a mixture of great sadness and great joy that I share with you now, that my beloved Richard relocated to heaven last January 23. The sadness and grief of adjusting to the reality of this present life without him has been deep. The joy of knowing that he is free of the bonds of this earth, fully healed, fully alive worshipping before the throne has been just as great as my grief is deep. I treasure his last days on earth, how his countenance radiated the beauty and love of Jesus, how he loved and was loved by our children. I treasure the last thing we did as a family with him was take communion. I am so incredibly grateful for my children and how well they have cared for me since their father passed away. I have a new level of brokenness and dependence that is healthy, better yet, holy. This is not the journey I would have chosen. I know that God is good. If taking Rich home was best for him, I know that it will be good for me as well. God is always leading me in the way that is good for me, to prosper me, to bless me, to know him more. I have read key scriptures in several translations gleaning all the life I can from them. The Passion Translation of Philippians 4:6-9 is where I am living right now. “Don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. Be saturated in prayer throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, then God’s wonderful peace that transcends human understanding, will guard your heart and and mind through Jesus Christ. Keep your thoughts continually fixed on all that is continually fixed on all that is authentic and real, honorable and admirable, beautiful and respectful, pure and holy, merciful and kind. And fasten your thoughts on every glorious work of God, praising him always.” Some days my prayers have been Jesus, Jesus, Jesus. Other days my prayers have been for wisdom to address problems I have never dealt with before. Again, I quote my words from last year. “Every day I have the opportunity to choose. I choose to Behold the Lamb. I choose to run this race with perseverance, fixing my eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. I choose joy. I choose trust. I choose to worship and not despair. I choose to believe. I choose to rest.” I revisit and am encouraged by the words the Lord has given me. I boldly proclaim I have known my Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit as my comforter, my strength, my rock, my hiding place, my light, my all in all, and even my joy. During my quiet time in the past couple weeks I was thanking God for the many ways I have experienced his goodness and love this year that I came to the realization that I love my life. This dance of life with Jesus is good. I want to leave you with a song to listen to today. This song has been very important to us in the past couple years. It was a part of Rich’s funeral. Listen, meditate on his faithfulness and join me in giving thanks to our glorious God and King.

https://youtu.be/n0FBb6hnwTo

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